The present invention relates generally to a wall plate bracket for mounting one or more high voltage outlets and low voltage connectors on wall structures, and more particularly, to such a bracket in which outlets and connectors are recessed from the wall structure.
The high voltage outlets have receptacles into which are inserted the prongs of an electrical plug for supplying electrical power to a conductor which is connected to the plug. High voltage outlets are also known as electrical power outlets. The high voltage outlet includes a support housing, which may be a box, within which the receptacles for the prongs of the electrical plug are supported. The support housing is secured to a stud in the wall structure such that the receptacles of the high voltage outlet are accessible through an opening in the wall structure from the front thereof. A wall plate is secured to the front of the support housing such that the wall surface of the wall structure is located between the wall plate and the rear of the support housing. The wall plate has an opening such that the receptacles of the high voltage outlet are accessible through the opening in the wall plate from the region in front of the wall structure. The clearance or gap between the support housing and wall plate is typically covered by a cover plate which is secured to the front surface of the wall plate. The cover plate has an opening such that the receptacles of the high voltage outlet are accessible through the opening in the cover plate from the region in front of the wall structure.
Wall plates may also provide support to low voltage connectors which provide junctions for the conductors of low voltage devices, such as telephones, televisions, data cables, and other communication equipment. Such other communication equipment may be used for connecting a computer to the internet or a local area network (LAN). Such wall plates may locate the low voltage connectors in the same plane as the front surface of the wall structure thereby exposing the connectors and the plugs inserted therein to contact from persons, furniture or other objects which may move in close proximity to the connectors. Such contact may be undesirable by urging the plugs to become dislodged from the low voltage connectors or by exceeding the structural strength of the plugs or connectors. The clearance or gap between each low voltage connector and wall plate is typically covered by a cover plate which is secured to the front surface of the wall plate. The cover plate has an opening such that the corresponding low voltage connector is accessible through the opening in the cover plate from the region in front thereof.
Wall plates may provide support for high voltage outlets without providing support for low voltage connectors. Also, wall plates may provide support for low voltage connectors without providing support for high voltage outlets. Both of such wall plates may be required to provide the connections needed by devices which require electrical power and low voltage connections. Such devices may include a combined telephone and answering machine, television, or a personal computer. Such separate wall plates typically require redundant structures and often require separate openings in the wall structure in which the wall plates are supported. Also, such separate wall plates may be located apart from one another by a significant distance. This distance may cause inconvenience for a device which requires connection to a high voltage outlet and a low voltage connector since locating such a device in close proximity to both of such separate wall plates may be difficult.
The gap or clearance between the box of the high voltage outlet and wall plate is typically limited by building and electrical codes. Also, the high voltage outlets and low voltage connectors may be recessed from the wall structure to which the wall plates are secured.